By Jonathan Spiro, interim president of Castleton University Like many Vermonters, I have not driven to work in six weeks. But yesterday I had to go to the office (which in my case is Castleton University) to attend to some essential business for the state. As I drove down Main Street in Castleton, I passed…

Dear Editor, There was good news from Covid-19 for this past Memorial Day weekend and beyond. We didn’t get stuck in traffic jams. And, the meat shortage kept us safe from our outdoor grills. Folks who grill hamburgers and hot dogs face a nasty choice. The U.S. Meat and Poultry Hotline advises grilling at high…

Dear Editor, Forget “government takeovers” of health care. It was taken over long ago by insurance companies and other commercial interests. Now it’s just a money pit. Insurance premiums are tied to how much insurers have to pay out to doctors and hospitals. The fees doctors and hospitals charge include money to compensate for the enormous…

Dear Editor, The Covid-19 pandemic has created unprecedented public health and economic challenges for the people of Vermont. Vermonters have lost their lives, many have lost access to healthcare services, one in four are now unemployed, and too many families are struggling with hunger and food shortage. The true extent of this devastation will only…

By Jack Hoffman Vermont’s April revenue collections highlight the absurdity of federal rules restricting the use of the Coronavirus Relief Fund—the $150 billion that Congress appropriated in the CARES Act to help the states. The state’s personal income taax receipts dropped by two-thirds last month. Instead of taking in $184 million, as forecast, the tax…

By Aliya Schneider On May 20, 2020, I was officially awarded my college degree. I am now an alumna of Barnard College, the women’s college affiliated with Columbia University. The Barnard-Columbia dynamic is complicated, but basically, Barnard students have two graduation ceremonies. On Monday, May 18, we would have had Barnard’s Class Day at Radio…

Dear Editor, Over the last several weeks, Vermonters have been thinking a lot about food—where it comes from, who harvests it, how far it travels, what it costs and how much is available. I was not one of those kids who grew up wondering where her food came from. My brothers and I were born…

By Rep. Randall Szott, D-Barnard Around this time last year, as the legislative session was ending, I was reflecting on the meaning of politics and the politics of meaning. I wrote and published my thoughts and ended on this note, “If we pursue a legislative agenda committed to putting meaning at the center of our deliberations, we…

By Bob Cappadona In mid-March, several states gave redemption centers and retailers the option to temporarily stop accepting bottles and cans. They advised households to stockpile their water bottles and soda cans for several weeks, or to simply toss them in their curbside recycling bins. While it is unclear how many redemption centers chose to…

By Angelo Lynn It’s time Vermont’s Democrats urged Gov. Phil Scott to open Vermont’s economic spigot a bit faster, even significantly faster. The onus falls on the Democratic leadership because Scott appears afraid of the political risks if he makes the call on his own. Here’s the political calculus: If Scott were to lead the…

By Zayda Kellogg I am a junior at Peoples Academy High School in Morrisville, Vermont. Throughout the pandemic, and the consequential shutdowns, there is often talk of wanting to go “back to normal,” to fall back into the past, the thought of which provides us comfort and a sense of security, to forget Covid-19 ever…

Dear Editor, To all of those who helped us search for our dog Finn in Pittsfield, the Masillo family can not thank you enough. He got free with his leash attached and was out in the woods and stuck for 42 hours. We are overcome with gratitude, by both the willingness and kindness, of our community. He…

Dear Editor, The following is a letter that U.S. Rep. Peter Welch wrote to Speaker Pelosi and Minority Leader McCarthy on May 8. I write today to request that the next Covid-19 legislative package include funding to support local journalism and media. This support is essential to ensure that our communities continue to have access…

Dear Editor, There is no hiding from Covid-19. This virus has no borders and travels at will, menacing people and businesses in every sector of society. The pandemic threatens agriculture and with it our food security, as farmers work to produce the food on our tables.  Our farmers, producers and those making their living off…

By Andre M. Fleche During an uncertain time for the Vermont State College System, the people of Vermont should have confidence that Castleton University remains well-positioned to continue to serve the social and economic good of the state. Each year, Castleton sends forth new nurses, teachers, social workers, journalists, entrepreneurs, and many other graduates who…